08. Carnelian Marine St. Croix Watershed Bliss Stormwater Project Staff Report
Date of Meeting: May 1, 2024
For: Honorable Mayor and Council
From: Kyle Morell, City Administrator
Subject: Carnelian Marine St. Croix Watershed Bliss Stormwater Project Discussion
Background:
The City began working with the Carnelian Marine St. Croix Watershed District on a Bliss Stormwater
Project in 2017 when a feasibility study was commissioned to address drainage and stormwater quality
improvements. Bolton and Menk completed that work, and the final study was approved by both the
District Board of Managers and Scandia City Council late in 2019.
In 2022, the District applied for and was awarded a $272,200 grant from the Clean Water Fund to
Install twelve (12) bioretention facilities with a 30-year functional life that treat 7.3 acres of
stormwater, increase small storm retention by 6,111 cubic feet, and reduce annual total phosphorus
(TP) discharges by 9.9 lbs./year and total suspended solid (TSS) by 1,531 lbs./yr.
I have included a map of the project area at the north end of the Bliss Addition. The map shows the 19
new raingardens to be installed during the project work this summer.
After encountering a delay due to unlocated Xcel lines in 2023, the project was bid earlier this year.
The bid included a base bid that included the recommended work from the feasibility study and
alternate bid items requested by the City to correct drainage issues that residents brought to the City’s
attention in 2018. Since then, the City has worked to address drainage around the easement in
question and the overall stormwater draining in the area. This project also diverts flow away from the
easement, thus reducing the need for further improvement. Approving the alternate bid work would
replace the culvert within the drainage easement and add stormwater facilities along Layton Ave.
south of the easement. This work would be considered temporary, as when the road is improved, the
existing stormwater facilities would be removed to make way for the facilities engineered as part of
the road project. This work is at least 8 – 10 years in the future.
The low bid was under the engineer’s estimate of $401,841.71 for the water quality improvements and
bioretention facilities and $102,570 for drainage improvements. Based on these numbers, the City’s
project costs are as follows:
$69,175 Water Quality Construction (50% of the Water Quality improvements after subtracting the grant)
$53,350 Engineering (50% of Engineering costs)
City Cost of Base Bid: $ 122,525
$98,570 Drainage Improvements (Bid Alternate)
Total City Cost: $221,095
Financial Impact:
The city’s 401 CIP Fund has $160,000 budgeted in 2024 for this project. This is enough to accommodate
the base bid work, which totals $122,525. If the City also approves the alternative bid work, then our
share of the project exceeds our budget by $61,095. Given some other projects the City is considering
and the temporary nature of the alternative bid work, it may not be worth approving. The City’s
contribution to the project will be paid to the watershed later this year after completion.
Options:
1) Approve Base Bid of Bliss Stormwater Project
2) Approve Base Bid plus Bid Alternate
Recommendation:
Option 1
Attachments:
Bliss Stormwater Improvement Map